Home · Paris · Landmarks

Discover Paris’s 117 best Landmarks spots for your trip

From the classic Avenue des Champs-Élysées and Montmartre, to lesser-known spots worth adding to your trip.

Prices & booking information
Opening hours & visit duration
Best time to visit
Location & practical information
Local tips for every spot

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

★ 4.7 · 6,548 reviews

Stroll down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris's grand boulevard linking the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde. Browse flagship stores, cafés, and cinemas along the way, and return in the evening to see the avenue lit up.

✨

Reasons to go

The avenue has served as Paris's ceremonial boulevard since the 17th century, running in a straight line from the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde.
It hosts the finish of the Tour de France and major national parades, including the annual Bastille Day military procession.

🚶NeighborhoodsFree

Montmartre

Discover Montmartre, the hilltop artists' quarter crowned by the Sacré-Cœur basilica. Wander its steep, winding streets and staircases, browse Place du Tertre, and duck into quieter lanes for a glimpse of the neighborhood's original bohemian charm.

✨

Reasons to go

Home to Picasso, Renoir, and Toulouse-Lautrec during Montmartre's bohemian heyday in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The steps up to Sacré-Cœur are considered one of Paris's best sunset viewpoints.

🏛️Landmark

Arc de Triomphe

★ 4.7 · 296,119 reviews

Discover the Arc de Triomphe, the sculpted monument crowning the Champs-Élysées. Climb 284 steps to the rooftop terrace for panoramic city views, then explore the facade's carvings, the Unknown Soldier's tomb, and guided tours below.

✨

Reasons to go

The arch shelters the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, whose flame has been rekindled every evening since 1923.
A rooftop terrace reached by 284 steps offers panoramic views straight down the Champs-Élysées.
The facade is decorated with large sculpted groups, including François Rude's La Marseillaise.

🏛️Landmark

Tour Eiffel

★ 4.7 · 492,552 reviews

Discover the Eiffel Tower, Paris's iconic iron landmark. Climb by elevator or stairs to platforms at 154m or 276m for sweeping city views, then unwind over dinner or champagne before browsing the boutique.

✨

Reasons to go

Built by Gustave Eiffel's company for the 1889 World's Fair.
The summit reaches 276m, making it one of the highest publicly accessible viewpoints in Paris.
It was the tallest man-made structure in the world until 1930.

🏛️LandmarkFree

Notre-Dame de Paris

★ 4.7 · 97,386 reviews

Step inside Notre-Dame de Paris on Île de la Cité, one of Gothic architecture's greatest achievements. Admire the sculpted portals and stained-glass windows, explore the nave and chapels, and view the treasury's relics, tapestries, and icons.

✨

Reasons to go

Construction began in 1163 and spanned nearly two centuries of Gothic craftsmanship.
The cathedral holds relics including the Crown of Thorns.
It reopened after a major restoration following the 2019 fire that destroyed its roof and spire.

🏛️Landmark

Eiffel Tower: 2nd Floor Access or Summit Access

★ 4.5 · 1,603 reviews

Skip the line at the Eiffel Tower, Paris's defining landmark. Head up to the 2nd floor or all the way to the summit for sweeping city views, with guided assistance included along the way.

✨

Reasons to go

Built by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World's Fair.
Summit access is weather-dependent and can be closed at short notice.

🏛️LandmarkFree

Luxembourg Palace

★ 4.7 · 3,840 reviews

Discover the Luxembourg Palace, seat of the French Senate on the Left Bank. Stroll through the surrounding Jardin du Luxembourg, taking in the fountains, tree-lined paths, and iconic green metal chairs.

✨

Reasons to go

Commissioned in 1615 by Marie de' Medici, widow of Henry IV, who wanted a residence reminiscent of her native Florence.
Designed by architect Salomon de Brosse, the palace now serves as the seat of the French Senate.
The gardens' iconic green metal chairs by the fountain have become a symbol of the site.

🏛️LandmarkFree

Place de la Concorde

★ 4.6 · 70,693 reviews

Discover Place de la Concorde, Paris's largest public square. Walk among the towering Luxor Obelisk, ornate fountains, and statues, taking in wide views toward the Seine and Tuileries Garden.

✨

Reasons to go

The 3,300-year-old Luxor Obelisk at its center was a gift from Egypt and once stood at the Temple of Luxor.
It is the largest public square in Paris, covering 7.56 hectares.
During the French Revolution this square held the guillotine that executed Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

🎨Museum

Louvre

★ 4.7 · 373,193 reviews

Step inside the Louvre, the world's most-visited art museum set within a former royal palace. Wander past the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace before entering through the iconic glass pyramid.

✨

Reasons to go

It is the world's largest art museum, housed in a former royal palace dating to the 12th century
Its collection includes the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory of Samothrace
The glass pyramid entrance, added in 1989, was designed by architect I. M. Pei

🌳NatureFree

Champ-de-Mars

★ 4.6 · 224,389 reviews

Discover the Champ-de-Mars, the great lawn stretching from the Eiffel Tower to the École Militaire. Settle in for a picnic and watch the tower light up at night from one of Paris's best free viewpoints.

✨

Reasons to go

Originally laid out as a military parade ground for the adjacent Ecole Militaire before becoming a public park.
Hosted both the 1889 and 1900 World's Fairs, the former for which the Eiffel Tower itself was built.
Offers a free nightly view of the Eiffel Tower's light show, which sparkles on the hour after dark.

🍂

Best season

Summer

🏛️Landmark

Hôtel de la Marine

★ 4.7 · 5,920 reviews

Step into the Hôtel de la Marine on Place de la Concorde, a restored 18th-century palace once home to the royal furniture collection and the French Navy. Wander through meticulously recreated period interiors that reviewers rank among Paris's best museum experiences.

✨

Reasons to go

Designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel in the 1770s as one of the twin buildings framing Place de la Concorde
Served as the headquarters of the French Navy for more than two centuries before opening to the public
The audio guide uses a ring-shaped wireless device that automatically detects which room you're in

🏛️LandmarkFree

Place du Trocadéro

Discover Place du Trocadéro, the hilltop square with the city's best Eiffel Tower views. Snap photos from the terraces, wander down past the cascading fountains toward the Seine, and enjoy street performers along the way.

✨

Reasons to go

The square sits atop Chaillot hill between the twin curved wings of the Palais de Chaillot, built for the 1937 World's Fair.
Its terrace offers one of the classic framed views of the Eiffel Tower across the Seine, with tiered fountains cascading through the gardens below.

🧭Tours

Guided tour Notre-Dame

★ 4.7 · 1,100 reviews

Step inside Notre-Dame with an expert guide, right after its landmark 2024 reopening. See the Gothic facade's carved symbols and flying buttresses up close, then walk through the light-filled, freshly restored interior and rose windows.

✨

Reasons to go

Covers the cathedral's interior as restored after the five-year rebuild following the 2019 fire
Guides explain the Gothic facade's symbolism, flying buttresses, and rose windows in detail
Tours run in multiple languages including English, French, and Spanish

🧭Tours

Louvre guided tour

★ 4.7 · 6,100 reviews

Discover the Louvre with a knowledgeable guide by your side. Skip the ticket lines and follow a curated 2-3 hour route past the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory, hearing the stories behind each before exploring on your own.

✨

Reasons to go

The route covers the Louvre's three most famous works: the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory of Samothrace.
Pre-reserved tickets allow fast entry, skipping the general admission line.

🧭Tours

Louvre guided tour masterpieces

★ 4.7 · 7,500 reviews

Step inside the Louvre with reserved access and skip the long lines. Follow an expert guide straight to the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory of Samothrace, hearing the stories behind each masterpiece.

✨

Reasons to go

Skip-the-line access covers the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory of Samothrace in one route
The tour includes works by Caravaggio and Michelangelo alongside the museum's headline sculptures

🎨Museum

Musée d'Orsay

★ 4.8 · 115,986 reviews

Step inside a former Belle Époque railway station turned world-class museum. Wander beneath the glass roof and iconic clock to admire Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces alongside sculpture and decorative arts.

✨

Reasons to go

Housed in a former Belle Époque railway station with its original grand hall, glass roof, and large station clock intact.
Holds one of the world's largest collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterworks.
Thursday evening openings until 9:45pm offer a notably quieter visit than daytime hours.

🏛️Landmark

Palais Garnier

★ 4.7 · 60,107 reviews

Step inside the Palais Garnier, Charles Garnier's opulent 19th-century opera house. Wander the grand marble staircase and gilded halls, admire Chagall's painted ceiling, or catch a Paris Opera Ballet performance beneath it.

✨

Reasons to go

Designed by architect Charles Garnier and opened in 1875 as the Paris Opera's main home.
The auditorium ceiling was painted by Marc Chagall.
The building's underground lake and legends inspired 'The Phantom of the Opera'.

🏛️Landmark

Les Invalides

★ 4.7 · 14,241 reviews

Step inside Les Invalides, Louis XIV's grand soldiers' home turned military landmark. Stand beneath the gilded dome at Napoleon's tomb, then wander the Musée de l'Armée's exhibits tracing centuries of military history.

✨

Reasons to go

Commissioned by Louis XIV as a residence and hospital for wounded soldiers
Napoleon's remains were returned from Saint Helena and interred here in 1840 during the Retour des Cendres ceremony
The gilded Dôme des Invalides shelters the emperor's tomb and the Musée de l'Armée's military history collections

🏛️LandmarkFree

Saint-Germain-des-Prés Church

★ 4.7 · 6,417 reviews

Step into Saint-Germain-des-Prés Church, the oldest standing church in Paris. Wander its 11th-century interior and step back out onto the historic square that anchors this beloved Left Bank neighborhood.

✨

Reasons to go

Founded in the 6th century, it is the oldest standing church in Paris.
Most of the current structure was rebuilt in the 11th century, and its Romanesque columns are among the oldest architectural elements in the city.
It anchors the historic Left Bank square next to classic cafés like Les Deux Magots.

🏛️Landmark$$ · Mid-range

Grand Palais

★ 4.5 · 29,851 reviews

Step inside the Grand Palais, where soaring glass and steel architecture sets the stage for major art exhibitions. Explore thoughtfully curated shows, browse well-stocked museum shops, and admire the massive dome right across from the Petit Palais.

✨

Reasons to go

Its glass dome is one of the largest in Paris, built as a monumental exhibition hall.
Stands directly across from the Petit Palais, built as a companion structure.

🏛️LandmarkFree

Pont Alexandre III

Discover Pont Alexandre III, Paris's most ornate Seine crossing. Stroll past gilded bronze nymphs and cherubs while taking in open river views between the Invalides and the Grand Palais.

✨

Reasons to go

Built for the 1900 World's Fair to symbolize Franco-Russian friendship
Its single steel span was an engineering feat for its time, designed with no piers interrupting the river view
Named after Tsar Alexander III, whose son laid the foundation stone

🌳NatureFree

Jardin des Tuileries

★ 4.6 · 118,775 reviews

Discover the Jardin des Tuileries, the formal garden linking the Louvre to Place de la Concorde. Stroll tree-lined paths past fountains and statues, pause at the central café, and rest on manicured lawns between museum visits.

✨

Reasons to go

Laid out in the 17th century by André Le Nôtre, the landscape architect behind Versailles' gardens
Connects the Louvre to Place de la Concorde, forming part of Paris's historic axis
Hosted the Olympic cauldron, shaped like a hot-air balloon, during the Paris Olympics

🌳NatureFree

Jardin du Luxembourg

★ 4.7 · 127,929 reviews

Discover the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Senate's historic garden in the heart of Paris. Stroll past the Médicis Fountain and statues, join a guided tour or horticulture course, and check out the Musée du Luxembourg, beehive school, and music kiosk along the way.

✨

Reasons to go

The garden is managed by the French Senate, which is housed in the adjacent Luxembourg Palace
The Médicis Fountain is a notable 17th-century landmark within the grounds
The site includes a beehive school for apiculture education

🎨Museum

Guided tour Musée d'Orsay

★ 4.7 · 1,500 reviews

Discover the Musée d'Orsay's Impressionist masterpieces with a knowledgeable guide by your side. Skip the line and explore works by Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Cézanne, and Degas inside the former Beaux-Arts train station.

✨

Reasons to go

The museum occupies a former Beaux-Arts train station, the Gare d'Orsay.
The tour covers major works by Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Cézanne, and Degas.
Skip-the-line entry is included, easing access on Tuesdays when Louvre closures make Orsay busier.

🎨Museum

Musée de l'Orangerie

★ 4.6 · 24,516 reviews

Step into the oval rooms of the Musée de l'Orangerie, built specifically to showcase Monet's water lilies. Wander among the immersive Nymphéas murals, then explore the Walter-Guillaume collection featuring Renoir, Cézanne, and Picasso.

✨

Reasons to go

Two oval rooms were purpose-built to display Monet's large-scale Nymphéas water lily paintings
The Walter-Guillaume collection includes works by Renoir, Cézanne, and Picasso
Located within the Tuileries Garden

🌳NatureFree

Parc Monceau

★ 4.6 · 23,800 reviews

Discover Parc Monceau, a landscaped green escape in Paris's elegant 8th arrondissement. Stroll the shaded pathways at your own pace, with extended summer evening hours and easy access for visitors with reduced mobility.

✨

Reasons to go

The park's ornate black-and-gold gates on boulevard de Courcelles mark its main entrances.
A protected biodiversity zone within the park prohibits swimming to preserve its ecosystem.
Certain allées are being opened experimentally to leashed dogs, an unusual policy for a Paris park.

🏛️Landmark

Sainte-Chapelle

★ 4.6 · 49,736 reviews

Step into Sainte-Chapelle, a Gothic gem on Île de la Cité. Climb to the upper chapel and stand beneath 1,113 stained-glass windows and the Rose Window of the Apocalypse as colored light fills the soaring space.

✨

Reasons to go

Commissioned by King Louis IX (Saint Louis) to house relics including the Crown of Thorns
The upper chapel's stained glass depicts over a thousand biblical scenes across its towering windows
A Rayonnant Gothic Rose Window of the Apocalypse anchors the light-filled upper chapel

🎨Museum

Tour guide of Musée d'Orsay

★ 4.7 · 1,500 reviews

Explore the Musée d'Orsay with an expert guide by your side. Skip the line and discover masterpieces by Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Cézanne, and Degas, set inside a former Beaux-Arts train station.

✨

Reasons to go

The museum occupies a former Beaux-Arts train station rather than a purpose-built gallery.
The tour focuses on Impressionist masters including Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Cézanne, and Degas.
Meeting point is marked by the museum's rhinoceros statue out front.

🛍️ShoppingFree

Place Vendôme

Step into Place Vendôme, an octagonal square framed by uniform stone facades. Wander past luxury jewelers and the Ritz, then admire the bronze column rising at the center of this quietly grand corner of Paris.

✨

Reasons to go

The central column was cast from melted-down cannons to commemorate Napoleon's victory at Austerlitz.
The square was designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart in the late 17th century with uniform stone facades.
The Ritz hotel on the square was Coco Chanel's longtime residence and remains a symbol of Parisian luxury.

🏛️Landmark$ · Budget-friendly

Great Mosque of Paris

★ 4.5 · 16,623 reviews

Step into the Hispano-Moorish courtyards of the Great Mosque of Paris. Wander the tiled patios and intricate archways, then unwind with mint tea at the on-site tea room tucked away in the Quartier Latin.

✨

Reasons to go

Completed in 1926 partly as a tribute to Muslim soldiers who died fighting for France in World War I
It is the largest mosque in France
Features Hispano-Moorish architecture with tiled courtyards and gardens open to non-worshippers outside prayer times